It never rains but it pours. Ohio State’s injured-depleted roster was dealt an additional blow on Monday. Big Ten Hockey announced a one game suspension for Buckeye defenseman Josh Healey.
The benching is a result of the OSU defenseman's hit on Wisconsin forward Grant Besse in the third period of last Saturday's game. The play earned Healey a major penalty for interference. He will sit out this Friday’s game at Michigan and then be eligible to return for the following night's match.
Healey’s loss hurts. He is a key figure in the Bucks’ defense and chips in offensively as well. It was Healey’s goal which forced overtime against the Badgers in OSU’s last outing. The big Albertan ranks seventh on the team with 18 overall points, four goals and 14 assists.
The suspension means that the Buckeye blue line could roll into the Michigan series missing three of its regular defenders. Drew Brevig and Tommy Parran have not suited up in the team’s last three and four games, respectively. With Healey temporarily sidelined, if neither Brevig nor Parran are ready to rejoin the team, only five OSU defenders remain on the active roster. Christian Frey had better eat his Wheaties this week.
The Healey-less Bucks square off against Michigan on Friday at 8:00 p.m. ET. That game is slated to air live on BTN. The teams conclude their series on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
- Ohio State drops back down to No. 11 in the latest edition of both the USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey polls.
